


The Lucas Conspiracy

by jujubiest



Series: The Lucas Compendium [3]
Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4077838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jujubiest/pseuds/jujubiest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry frets over what Adam's plans could be for Lucas, and attempts to find a way to keep Lucas from seeing him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Lucas Conspiracy

**Author's Note:**

> So I have like ten chapters of this outlined in my head. Not sure what order they'll go in as most of them don't require sticking to a chronology. Also not sure how I'll ever get them written given the pace of my life lately, but a girl can dream.

Henry was pacing.

He'd been like this for the better part of an hour, wearing a groove in the floor with quick, agitated steps, brow furrowed in thought, lips pursed and mouth drawn down with worry.

Abe had had it.

"Pops! Enough, already! You're gonna dig a trench to China."

Henry left off the pacing, but the frown didn't budge an inch.

"Sorry," he said distractedly, clearly still deep in whatever thoughts had him so worked up.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Abe ventured, not really expecting an answer. Henry wasn't a naturally secretive person--at least not where Abe was concerned--but when he got like this, getting him to stop  _thinking_ about whatever was bothering him long enough to talk about it was nigh impossible. And sure enough, Henry gave him a tired, apologetic smile before declining.

"Sorry, Abraham," he said again. "Perhaps later."

Abe sighed and went back to his paper, content to let Henry wander down to his laboratory and wear a hole in the floor there instead, at least for now.

* * *

 

The source of Henry's disquiet was, as usual of late, Adam. Or more precisely, Adam showing up in a bar on Lucas's arm, masquerading as his charming date. What on earth could Adam want with Lucas? Henry was almost afraid to imagine. Whatever it was, Henry had no doubt it would end in pain for all involved, except perhaps Adam himself. He doubted very much whether that creature had it in him to feel anything so human as pain any longer.

One thing was certain: Henry needed to convince Lucas to stay away from him, somehow. He had to keep him safe. But how could he possibly accomplish it? What could he say that would convince Lucas to say goodbye to Ethan Durant for good?

There was always the truth...but that would require a level of honesty with Lucas that Henry wasn't sure he could bring himself to. It wasn't that he doubted the man would believe him. Like Adam, he was fairly certain that Lucas's mind was open enough to accept their reality without a fuss. He would quite likely find the whole thing a great adventure, in fact. And that was the problem.

Henry didn't need adventure. He needed secrecy, anonymity, discretion. Three things he doubted very much Lucas had it in himself to provide, whatever his talents as an M.E.'s assistant or his loyalty as a friend.

"He's terrible at keeping secrets," Henry murmured to himself.

No, he couldn't tell Lucas the truth. And he couldn't make Adam stop. He would simply have to discover what Adam's plans were and foil them before they had a chance to cause Lucas any harm. And perhaps if he spent a bit more time with him...

Lucas would have less opportunity to be alone and vulnerable with Adam, the most dangerous person Henry had ever known.

* * *

 

"Ah, Lucas! Just the person I was looking for!" Henry hurried out of the elevator and fell into step with the man in question, who looked surprised and confused in equal measure.

"Who, me?"

"Who else?" Henry gushed, feeling foolish. He pressed on, dignity be damned. "I was just thinking the other day, I haven't been to the pictures in far too long. And I thought you know, I'm sure Lucas would have some good recommendations."

"The pictures...you mean, the  _moving pictures?_ " The tone of his voice carried the lightest of teases. Then the rest of what Henry said seemed to sink in. "Wait, you want me to recommend a movie?"

"Not just recommend," Henry said, throwing an arm over Lucas's shoulders and steering him in the direction of the exit. "I thought we could go see one together! You  _are_ always telling me I need to get out more, aren't you? Brush up on my popular culture?" He tried to arrange his face into an eager smile, despite the blush of pure chagrin he could feel crawling up his neck. Lucas, blessedly, seemed baffled but otherwise unsuspicious of his sudden friendliness.

"I...well, sure Doc! I'd love to. See, the thing is...I made plans."

Henry had been expecting this. He allowed his face to fall.

"Ah. I see." He withdrew his arm, stepping back and resuming his usual reserved demeanor. "Apologies then, Lucas. I didn't mean to impose. Enjoy your plans."

He could already see by the look on Lucas's face that it had worked. He was already stepping back into Henry's space, eager to please as always. For once it was a blessing.

"I mean, I guess we could make it a group thing. Or I could reschedule! No big deal. Here, let me just make a phone call."

* * *

 

Henry let himself into the antique shop, heading straight for the stairs and practically falling into a chair once he reached the lovely peace and quiet of his lab. He hadn't been so social for such an extended period of time in  _decades,_ and he'd rather lost the knack along the way.

"Long day?" Abe's voice came from the staircase. Henry didn't even have the energy to turn his head.

"Tell me, Abraham...what is the sociological function of  _superheroes._ Why on earth would anyone make film after implausible film about a man who flies around in a suit of armor and causes as many problems as he solves?"

"Ah. I see someone's introduced you to Iron Man. He's not my favorite. Now Hawkeye...him I like."

"Despite the number of films I just watched, I haven't the slightest idea who you're talking about."

Abe chuckled. "Who got you to watch Iron Man?"

"Lucas, from work. It was...an attempt at intra-office bonding. One I wish desperately not to repeat."

They'd checked the showtimes, but there was nothing good out except a film Lucas said he couldn't see unless he'd seen "all the other ones first." So  back to Lucas's apartment they'd gone--a surprisingly neat place decorated in off-white and calming shades of blue, very unlike the erratic young man who inhabited it--and watched not one, but three films about extraordinary people with unlikely powers and all-too-human failings. Henry found it all a little too familiar and aggrandizing to be comfortable.

But that was one less night Lucas could spend around Adam...though he did notice Lucas smiling down at his phone between films.

He was tired. He had a headache. He had put off danger for a single evening, but he was no closer to finding out what Adam wanted, nor did he have any notion of how to keep Lucas from being alone with him in the future. He couldn't very well spend every waking moment holed up in the man's apartment.

Henry sighed. Sometimes, he really wished he could call Jo and tell her all about it. She would see something he didn't see, and find a solution he would never think of. If only.

He drifted off to sleep in his chair with his brow still wrinkled in a worried frown.


End file.
